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Brianna Whitewynd
Queen Brianna Whitewynd is the current monarch of the province of Haerglayde. Brianna is the daughter of King Daryion Whitewynd and Queen Tylena Arminia, and the product of the marriage that sealed the Whitewynd-Arminian Treaty. She inherited the throne at the age of 273 after Daryion and Tylena were both killed in a landslide on the notorious North Road. Her first marriage to Duke Caelis of Merod produced two children, Isaris and Ezerielle, both of whom removed themselves from the Whitewynd succession by moving into other fields that negated their royal status. Due to the rather casual nature of the Haerglaydian monarchy, this was met with indifference from the public and only slight disappointment from the Queen. Ezerielle’s daughter, Althea, was nominated as Brianna’s ultimate heir. After the death of her first husband, Brianna married again, this time to General Ezia Rithrodel, a commoner who had risen through the ranks of the Haerglaydian army. While such a move was frowned upon, the Queen was adamant that her happiness was more important than propriety. The royal couple have yet to bear any further children. Birth and Family Brianna’s father was King Daryion Whitewynd (also known as King Daryion the Just). He was the eldest son of King Deriendis, the first monarch of Haerglayde, some two thousand years prior. Her mother was Princess (later Queen) Tylena Arminia, only daughter of Emperor Tybald Arminia. Their marriage was one of great importance across Ortosis, signifying the beginning of the Whitewynd-Arminian Treaty. She was the eldest of two, her younger sister being the little-known Alice Whitewynd, who died in a horsing accident at the age of 23. Upon her ascension to the throne, Brianna declared Alice’s birthday an annual national day of mourning. Early Life Brianna and Alice were born within seven years of one another, which is quite unusual for Elven children, who can often have one hundred years between siblings. Both children took full advantage of this fact and spent a lot of time together. Neither girl had many other friends. They were educated together in politics, history, languages, public speaking, and etiquette by the best private tutors, though Alice was clearly the better student. Brianna herself favoured the physical activites they trained in, such as falconing, riding, archery and swordcraft. As is Haerglaydian tradition, at the age of 30, Brianna attended a ceremony thrown in her honour, in which she was officially and publically named the Crown Princess of Haerglayde. This event would go on to mark her significantly, as it was at this event that a maddened horse kicked out and trampled her young sister, Alice. After the public funeral, Brianna disappeared from Haerglayde City for two years, fleeing into the forests. During her years in the forests, the great Connorian Aspect Rohn took the Crown Princess under his metaphorical wing. While she does not often speak of her time in the forests, it is believed she underwent a measure of philosophical schooling with the Aspect. Upon her return to civilised life, she had a measure of serenity about that she has carried with her through the entirety of her reign. After a several decades of remaining in the city at study, at the age of 103, Brianna elected to join the Imperial Legion for a standard term of service (which, for an Elf, was ten years). She underwent basic training in Tol’Kethon as did all entrants to the Legion, but it was evident from early on that she had the courage and skill to rise through the ranks. By the end of her sixth year in the Legion, she had risen to the rank of Lieutenant Commander, and had her own squadron of five hundred men to command. The Knights Vanquant Brianna’s involvement in the Knights Vanquant was central – while she would never take the credit for such an act, it is believed that she instigated the entire rebellion during her rescue of Tsar Kethetsyk, the leader of the remaining Naga peoples. The Battle of Tol’Kethon, considered to be the turning point in the rebellion against the Emperor, was orchestrated by Brianna and her companions. Their successful sacking of one of the Empire’s great fortresses had cemented her place in Ortosian military legend. After the death of Emperor Tybald Arminia, Brianna was directly involved in the resettlement of his family and the division of the Empire. She served as a peacekeeper and diplomat, mediating between nations as new boundaries were set and new laws established. While there were some, particularly among the ruling classes, who saw the Rebellion as a grab for power on the Princesses part, her actions during the division of the Empire proved otherwise. The world was essentially at her mercy, and while Brianna could have seized the opportunity to annex some of Mardion’s fertile land (of which Haerglayde has minimal), Haerglayde’s own borders remained the same, and their laws remained unchanged as well. Assuming the Throne After the death of her parents, Brianna was rushed back to Haerglayde to formally assume the throne with her husband, Duke Caelis of Merod. A woman of action, Brianna found herself hating her position at first, but before long she became with child, and settled into the busy role of being a mother and a Queen. Haerglaydian tradition has every mother raising her own child, so Brianna was perhaps the only monarch to truly have a hand in raising her own son at the time. The experience definitely mellowed the Queen, who took to simpler hobbies such as gardening or reading in place of swordcraft and war. During her reign, Brianna became beloved by the people of Haerglayde. Under her careful guidance and direct involvement in all areas of governance, the province flourished and poverty all but disappeared. Controversy After a few centuries of marriage to Caelis of Merod, it had become public knowledge that their relationship had dwindled to a mere formality. During this time, Brianna was seen to be spending an unusual amount of time with her General (and later, husband), Ezia Rithrodel, who was widely considered to be her paramour, despite her vehement denial. She claims their relationship was chaste until the night of their marriage, and there has been no evidence to say otherwise. Caelis’ death was abrupt – it is said he took ill in the morning, and by the evening he was dead. Many suspect poison. There are some who even suspect the Queen herself of doing so, but as there was nothing to prove such a thing and the Queen spent as little time as possible with her husband, the rumour has been ruled false by the Temple. However, her marriage to Ezia Rithrodel barely a month after Caelis’ death has struck many people as highly suspicious. More coming soon!